aberration

Forms

aberration f (plural aberrations)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin aberrātiō, a learned borrowing from the scientific Latin noun derived from aberrō (“to wander away”), itself from ab- (“away”) and errō (“to wander”).^[2][3][4][1] The TLFi takes the first French use as a derivative of the Latin verb or of French aberrer, and notes that the classical Latin noun meant only “diversion”, while Medieval Latin had aberrātiō (“error, sin”) (1081).^[5][6]

The astronomical sense was borrowed from the English word aberration, the term for the motion of the fixed stars described by James Bradley in 1728, perhaps through scientific Latin.^[5][6] Rey says that the word spread only in the 18th century, under the influence of English.^[2] Cognate with Italian aberrazione, Spanish aberración, Catalan aberració and Romanian aberație.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1624, in Philippe Daquin's Discours des sacrifices de la loy mosaïque, meaning “a going astray” from the true path.^[5][7][2]

Semantic evolution

In 1733 Voltaire used it, after the English, for the apparent displacement of the stars caused by the earth's motion, and the Dictionnaire de Trévoux of 1752 still gives only this astronomical sense.^[5][6] The Académie recorded the optical sense, the imperfect convergence of rays at the focus of a lens or mirror, in 1798.^[5]

The figurative sense of a departure from good sense or from the rules appears in 1775 in the Correspondance littéraire of Grimm and Diderot, and the Académie recorded it in 1835 as a lapse of imagination or judgement.^[5][6][2] It became common in the 20th century, alongside the adjective aberrant.^[8][2] Medicine adopted it in 1851, and biology later used it for a deviation from the type of a species.^[5][8]

Timeline

• 1624 – Philippe Daquin uses it for a going astray from the true path.^[5][7]
• 1733 – Voltaire writes of the English calculating “l'aberration de la lumière”.^[5][6]
• 1775 – The Correspondance littéraire uses it figuratively for a departure from the rules.^[5][6]
• 1798 – The Académie records the optical sense.^[5]
• 1835 – The Académie records the sense “lapse of judgement”.^[5]
• 1851 – First use in pathology.^[5]

Meanings

Noun

1. (astronomy) The apparent displacement of a celestial body, caused by the motion of the observer combined with the speed of light.^[8][5][3]
2. (optics) A defect of the image given by a lens or mirror: aberration chromatique “chromatic aberration”.^[8][5]
3. (biology) A departure from the type of the species: aberration chromosomique “chromosomal abnormality”.^[8][1]
4. A departure from good sense or sound judgement; folly.^[8][5]
5. An absurd idea or action: Construire une autoroute ici serait une aberration.^[8]

Related words

• aberrer
• aberrant
• aberrance
• errer
• Latin aberrātiō

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
6. ^ a b c d e f Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert